One type of apparatus for automatically loading bars into a multi-spindle automatic lathe is described in the German Pat. No. 2,063,075. In this apparatus, a bar separating device and a feed device have a fixed association with a particular spindle position, so that the supplying of the bar stock and the bar feeding can be carried out only in this one spindle position.
A further bar-loading apparatus for a multi-spindle automatic lathe is described in the German Pat. No. 2,401,064. Here there is a bar feeding device in fixed association with each bar guide tube, and therewith with each spindle. This type of apparatus, however, is very complex and costly.
It is an object of the invention to provide an automatic bar-loading device for a multi-spindle automatic lathe which can be manufactured without excessive manufacturing costs and which makes possible without change in the construction of the apparatus itself or of the automatic lathe the supplying of the bar stock to the openable guide tubes as well as the bar stock feeding in different spindle positions.